


The Wrong Side of Heaven

by caplanbuckybarnes



Category: Marvel
Genre: Alternate Universe - Demons, Character Death, Demon Bucky Barnes, Demon Deals, Disfigurement, F/M, Minor Character Death, Original Character Death(s), Souls
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-30
Updated: 2017-12-30
Packaged: 2019-02-24 04:20:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13205826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caplanbuckybarnes/pseuds/caplanbuckybarnes
Summary: Bucky is a demon, sent to earth to kill a human. But when he meets her, he can’t exactly figure out why she was chosen to die.





	1. Chapter 1

“Her,” he pointed at the globe in the center of the enormous room. “You are to watch over her until the time comes.”

Bucky shook his head, glancing up at the figure standing over his shoulder. “Why? What has she done?”

“Enough to cast her away from the pearly gates upstairs,” he answered, looking grim and glum as he watched the girl in the globe as she walked about the sidewalk, grinning, unknowing that her end will meet one day soon. “She’s not meant to die of natural causes. You need to see to that.”

“But, sir-!”

“Barnes.” He warned, throwing Bucky a dark look.

Bucky sighed heavily before unfolding his wings and preparing for the ascent to the earthly world above. “Barnes.” The demon beckoned to him urgently before Bucky had taken flight. “Make sure she never knows of your mission, you hear me?”

He nodded, taking the vials of memories of his human self before ascending through the air. He flew for what felt like weeks until he scrunched his face and broke through to the mortal world, standing in front of an office building. He knew where she’d be. He looked at the vials in his hands and threw the corks onto the ground before drinking the vials, filling his brain with his human’s memory.

His human’s name seemed to be James Barnes. He lived in Indiana before moving here, to this strange city. He’d wanted to become a newspaper editor. He’d wanted to meet new faces and become a better person for himself. Bucky couldn’t help but to grimace at the silly memories of the man’s childhood came to the forefront of his mind.

He walked out of the alley cautiously fixing his tie before walking across the street and into the tall building, where he knew you had entered moments before his ascent onto earth. He rushed inside, amazed at the revolving doors and marble walls inside of the place; it was something he’d forgotten a long time ago. He stood in the lobby of the place, flattening his tie down on his chest, tightening his grip on the suitcase he carried in his left hand before marching ahead, peering around the place for any sight of you.

He’d spotted you in the elevator and watched you for a moment, until the elevator stopped on the sixth floor. He sighed in desperation as he ran towards the staircase, skipping two, three at a time until he reached the sixth floor.

“Excuse me?” He called to a passing woman with flaming red hair.

“Yes?” She asked, a stack of filework in her arms.

“I’m-I-I’m new here.” He stuttered, much like he knew this James Barnes would have done in front of a beautiful woman such as her. “I was wondering-”

“You’re looking for Anthony Stark, right?” She sighed, beckoning him to walk next to her. “He’s in his office, walk down this hall, turn left. It’s the last door on your right. Don’t be nervous around him, he hates it.”

Bucky nodded, surveying the room, spotting you almost immediately. You were sitting at your desk, pen resting between your teeth as you typed furiously on the computer for whatever article was planned to be posted in the newspaper the next day..

“What’s your name?” The lady asked.

“Uh, James Barnes, ma’am,” he nodded before pulling out his identification card to show her. She waved me off in disgust.  

“Don’t show that to me, I’m only the asshat’s secretary.”

He nodded before she waved him away. He followed her directions and soon stood in front of Anthony Stark’s office. He knocked on the metal door before he was granted access only moments later.

“Ah,” Tony stark announced from his position standing by a large glass window. “You must be Barnes. Sit, sit.”

Bucky listened to the man and sat down, placing his suitcase by his side on the floor.

“I understand you move here from across the country, yes?”

Bucky nodded.

“James Barnes?”

He nodded again.

“Great, you’ll have your own station up front. I want a report every day before you leave.”

“You’re not going to ask about my experience?” He asked.

“Unless you lied about your resume, James, there’s no reason for me not to believe you. Am I correct in that?”

Bucky nodded before leaning over and grabbing his suitcase and walking out of the room. He walked back to the front of the office, where he had first entered the space, noticing almost immediately that the desk Anthony had referred to, was directly in front of your own. His thoughts became nothing more than to gain this female’s trust in order to see why his master had declared your utter demise. He smiled at you as he sat down in front of you receiving a smile in return.

“You must be the new editor,” you spoke. “I’m Y/N. Who are you?”

“James Barnes.” he answered, taking the hand you offered before dropping it quickly.

“Where are you from, James?” you asked, leaning forward slightly. “There’s no way in hell you could be from this city.”

“Uh,” He blinked in confusion before you let out an amused chuckle.

“Fine, don’t tell me.” She leaned back in her chair. “You must be from Heaven, though. You look too good to be human.”

He coughed and leaned over his keyboard, not wanting to spill his beans just yet. His master would not be pleased if that happened. Of course, you were merely a human. Bucky had known them to be curious creatures. He’d doubted that you’d believe him if he had said his was from the very depths of fiery hell, anyhow.

But as he stared at your eyes, he sensed something about you. Something wrong, something off. Something that he couldn’t feel with the other humans in his proximity. He nearly chuckled to himself as he started his work on his computer. What was he thinking? He was being overly dramatic. There was nothing wrong with you. You simply human.

_Right?_


	2. Chapter 2

Two weeks have gone by, and you and James have somehow developed a strong bond together, always joking about, laughing, giggling, sending each other texts during your breaks, going out on friend dates.

Bucky didn’t know where or how the friendship started, honestly. One day, he walked in to work, only to discover you had bought him breakfast and coffee and left your phone number on the coffee cup. So, naturally, he responded to you, buying a coffee and doughnut the next day. Thus sprout the friendship between you two. To say Bucky was excited about the progress was a complete understatement. He never expected you to respond to him in this way. But here you were, always happy and giddy around him.

One day, as he walked next to you after work hours, he’d caught himself wondering why he was sent to watch you You seemed innocent enough, right? You had been a good worker, had amazing family members, as you’d told him. You traveled a bit in your childhood. You were an all around good citizen to the world.

So why had he been sent to collect her soul? Were you in some underground cult that only his elder knew about? Bucky wondered these questions quite a bit over the weeks, but never received an answer from his higher power. You lived a normal life. You lived that typical white picket life that many people strive to do.

So why? What was wrong in your case?

“James?” You called, pulling me out of his stupor, ice cream dribbling down your chin.

He playfully rolled his eyes and outstretched a hand to swipe away at your chin. “Yes, Y/N?”

“How come you never speak of your family?” You asked. “Are they terrible people or something? What happened?”

He shook his head. “There’s not much to say about them, Y/N,” he spoke softly, “I lived their foster care most of my life. I never knew my real family. I bounced around a lot.”

“That’s so sad,” you pouted.

He raised a brow. “I don’t need nor do I want sympathy, Y/N. Knock that off right now.”

“I’d kill them if I had the chance,” you spoke softly as intertwined you hand with his. “Nobody deserves to live a life in the foster system. Everyone deserves a loving home.”

He chuckled, shaking his head in affection. But as he looked at your stone cold face, he felt something nagging at the back of his head, something sinister. But he couldn’t place it, not at that moment anyway.

“Let me take you home?” He offered lightly as the skies became dark and heavy with rain clouds. He didn’t want to be caught in the middle of a storm, and he was under oath to keep you safe- in some weird form of the term, anyway

“Sure,” you agreed, slipping your hand in his own before he led you over to his car across the street and politely opened the door for you, waiting until you were sitting comfortably before he closed the door. He looked up at the sky in worry as he sat in the car and drove away, knowing exactly where you had lived, even before you had told him a few weeks ago after a movie night. He pulled up to the house and grinned.

“Thanks James,” you leaned over and swiped your lips across his cheek, causing a shiver to spread down his spine.

“Want me to walk you inside?”

You chuckled a little too darkly for his liking. “No, James. But thank you.”

He bowed his head and waited until you stood away from the car and marched inside the house before pulling away, thoughts of the few days in his mind. He knew he’d have to report the progress soon before his higher power became too impatient.

He swiped down his face, as the possibilities passed through his mind yet again.  _What was the reasoning behind this mission? What was she? Was she human? Was she something more? Was she destined to be murdered? Was she evil? Was she a reincarnation of Hitler? Would she rise to power within the human world? Was she a murderer, perhaps? Did she dispose of human bodies? What the fuck was her deal?_

———

Bucky was utterly exhausted. He knew he’d have to report his progress eventually. But he didn’t have any means for a sacrifice for a summoning. He looked down at his body, cursing at himself at the thought of harming his vessel came to mind.

But what else could he have done?

He turned around and grabbed the sharpest knife he possessed from the knife holder and rolled up his sleeve before grabbing a bowl and raising his arm above it. He grit his teeth, knowing how fragile human skin had been. He cried out in agony as the blade of the knife pierced his skin as he swiped at it, grunting as the scarlet liquid dripped from his arm into the bowl.

He knew he’d have to replenish himself before he made contact with his higher power. He grunted and grabbed for a wash cloth before wrapping it around his arm and turning around for an orange from the countertop. His teeth nipped into the skin, spitting out the outer layer before eating the fruit animalistically.  Once he knew he wouldn’t faint from the loss of blood, he begun the latin incantation until the blood started boiling in an uproar.

“Sir.” He called out.

“What information have you?”

“She’s starting to trust me, sir,” he reported easily. “She’s- I think she’s catching feelings, sir.”

“So easily, hmm?” he spoke, the blood bubbling like a madman. “Anything else, perhaps?”

Bucky debated heavily on informing him of the uneasiness feelings with her, but decided not to say a word, at least until he had concrete evidence. After all, it’s been centuries since Bucky had been walking on earth. Maybe he was only skeptical of humans at this point. Sure, he loved them.  But he’d never walked among them, at least not humans so advanced and open minded to demons and angels. Bucky scoffed to himself. He was foolish. He was being childish.

“Are you sure there is nothing else, to report, Barnes?”

“Positive sir,” he reported.

“I’ll talk again in a few weeks.”

He huffed in relief as the blood ceased bubbling inside the bowl. He grabbed the bowl and momentarily thought about draining the blood down the sink before he scoffed to himself and brought the bowl to his lips and drank the liquid. The scarlet liquid tasted sweet, with a hint of bitterness, saltiness. He swiped at his mouth before making his way to the small bedroom and collapsing tiredly on the mattress. Now that he was human, he experienced all types of foreign emotions and feelings- things he’d never felt as a demon and he didn’t like the sensations one bit.


	3. Chapter 3

Bucky walked into the office, coffee in hand, eating a doughnut, vanilla frosted. He placed the coffee on your desk, already knowing you were usually a few minutes late to work. He begun his work day, typing away on his computer, responding to emails, writing down articles for the city newspaper.

Pretty soon, he noticed you still hadn’t shown up at your desk. He pulled his cell phone out of his pants pocket and texted you, asking if you were okay. You responded moments later, saying that you’d been attacked by some fool as you stepped out of the bus.

Bucky had to maintain his calm stature as he read the text. What fool had hurt her?

You messaged him back after a moment, claiming that you were okay and had entered the building; he’d see you in only a few moments. You told him you suffered from a bruise on your forehead and a few scratches on your arms from being defensive, but nothing major had occurred.

Bucky scowled to himself, wanting to find the punk who had hurt you. Just as he stood up and made his way to the elevator, you came waltzing through, gaining a few curious looks from the other coworkers, whom you ignored. You quickly stepped over to your desk, placing a calm hand on Bucky’s forearm as he felt anger surge through his body at the sight of the markings all over your face.

“Who did this to you?” he demanded, jaw set.

“Just some punk,” you whispered, waving him off as you embraced him for a moment. “I‘m fine, I promise. I can handle myself, Bucky.”  
“I should have driven you to work today.” He stated, leaning back in the chair, observing you as you gently touched the lump on your forehead. He felt anger, not at you, but at himself for not doing his job and watching you.

“It’s fine,” you insisted. “Trust me, I handled it.”

“Your coffee got cold,” he frowned, pointing to the cup on her desk. You waved it off and drunk the cold beverage anyway. “I’m going to find the punk and handle him, I swear.”

“Bucky, stop,” you chuckled, leaning back, a mischievous grin on her face as she nursed the cup in her hands. “I told you, I handled it.”

“If that shit happens again, you better tell me right away.”

You nodded.

Later that day, Bucky was an utter mess. He was still fuming from the events with her this morning. The only thought on his mind was harming the fucker that had laid his filthy paws on you. Nobody should have touched you. He felt annoyed and pissed and wanted to exact revenge on the person. That’s the only thing clouding his mind all afternoon. And he couldn’t understand why he felt this way towards you. He wasn’t sent to earth to hurt anyone until the time was right. He was sent to collect a single soul; yours. But he couldn’t understand why and it bothered him more and more everyday. You seemed to be the perfect little angel.

Just before lunch, some coworker came strutting over to your  desk and leaned on it, smirking all proud and obnoxious. He resembled that of a dog drooling over raw meat. He smirked at you before opening his mouth. Bucky nearly lost himself at his condescending tone.

“What some wrestling lessons, Y/N?” The guy spoke, eyeing you with hunger written all over his face. “It seems you might need a lesson or two. Why not let me take you out to show you a pointer or two?”  
She raised a brow in disgust. “No thanks, Rumlow.”

“You sure, baby?” He smirked, cocking his head to the side. “I can show you pointers all night.”

“Fuck off, Brock, you’re gross and you’re not my type.”

“Rumlow, office, now.” Stark announced as he popped his head into the area. The man winked and moved away from her desk. It wasn’t until you looked over at Bucky, with him supporting a broken coffee mug, that you had locked eyes with him.

“Shit.” he mumbled as he noticed coffee had spilled everywhere across his desk, covering his keyboard.

“Don’t worry about him, James.” You soothed as you begun helping him clean up the mess with napkins you had on your desk. “I had it under control, you know.”

He smiled. “It wasn’t you that I was concerned for, Y/N,”

You scoffed. “Trust me, he’s a pig. He’s been trying to get in my pants since I came to this place.”

“I noticed.” He scowled as the mess had finally gotten under control.

“What do you say about having dinner at my place tonight?” He offered softly as you settled back into your seat.

“Okay,” you agreed happily. “But I get to pick the movie we watch this time.”

“Of course.” He chuckled.

********

Once the two of you were settled on Bucky’s couch in his apartment, you’d decided on a movie, flicking through the channels until something of interest came to the screen. The pair of you had already finished your dinner, and had been halfway through the movie when the movie was suddenly interrupted by some news broadcasting system, informing viewers of a vicious murder earlier that morning. The newscaster said there was a suspected wild animal on the loose from the local zoo, but authorities were checking the evidence further.

Bucky watched the screen with intensity, wondering why his elder hadn’t informed him to collect the poor man;s soul and bring him to the gates. He was a soul collector, after all. It only took him a millisecond after the thought had processed in his mind that he was on another assignment. He was portraying a human in the mortal world. So of course, he wouldn’t have been informed of the news. Someone else would have collected the soul by now, anyway.

He was bringing another forkful of food into his mouth when he’d seen your delighted expression from the corner of his eye. A smirk had graced your lips as you watched the television broadcast. Or at least he’d thought he had seen a gleeful expression on your face because by the time Bucky had turned to face you fully, your face was blank as the movie resumed. By the time the movie had ended, the pair of you were asleep on his couch, your head resting against his shoulder, light snores coming from both of your mouths.


	4. Chapter 4

It’s been a few weeks and Bucky hasn’t seen nor heard from you. To say he was worried was underrated. He’d walk into work every morning expecting you to be sitting behind your desk, pen clamped between your teeth as you typed furiously on the keyboard in front of you. But to no avail. You never showed up. And Bucky was utterly worried.

He eyed Brock a few several times, thinking he had something to do with your disappearance. And the way Brock paraded around the office as if he had no care in the world, how couldn’t Bucky assume that?

It was the second Friday that you’d been missing, Bucky stayed behind at work, while Brock copied some paperwork for Stark. Bucky hid behind an office door, waiting for the man to appear in the hallway before tackling him.

“What the fuck, Barnes?” Brock shouted in surprise and Bucky slammed the man against the concrete wall.

“What the hell did you do to her, Brock?” He demanded, breath coming out in short angry puffs of air. “Where is she?”

“Who are you fucking talking about?” Brock thrashed against Bucky’s tight grip.

“Y/N!” Bucky shouted. “Where did you take her? What did you do to her?”

“Nothing, you fucking psychopath!”

He had no choice but to release the man. “She’s been missing for a while, alright? She does this every few months.”

“Why?” He asked. “How do you know this?”

“I’ve been working here for a long time, Barnes.” He stated simply before walking down the hallway. Bucky wasn’t sure whether or not to believe the man. But it’s all he could do.

********  
  


Bucky was leaning against his kitchen counter, waiting for his higher power to answer the blood call. His arm was dripping with blood, though he paid no attention to it.He had other important matters to attend to at the  moment.

“Sir,” he nearly choked out as the bubbles began boiling at a rapid pace.

“You’ve lost her, haven’t you?”

“I didn’t mean for it to happen, sir,” he felt guilty. “She was fine, and then she disappeared. To where, however, I don’t know.”

“She’s still alive, if that’s what you’re concerned about, Barnes.”

He let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you, sir.” And just like that, the bubbles ceased to exist and Bucky gulped the liquid down, just as he had done previously.

He knew he shouldn’t have the impulse to see her. But it was the only thing clouding his mind. Yes, he had confirmation that she was alive. His higher power would never lie to him about an assignment. But he needed to see for himself. So, he left his house and got into his car and made his way to your house.

He stayed in the car for a long moment, just staring at the exterior of the place once he had parked outside. He felt something odd within himself, just as he always had whenever he was around you or your housing. It wasn’t love, nor pity. But something was off. Something wasn’t quite right about his surroundings.

He finally stood away from the car and marched up to the house and knocked on the door, half expecting you to swing the door open and pummel into him in excitement as you had always done when he’d showed up at your house unexpectedly.

But he received no response. He thought for a moment that maybe you weren’t home. But as he peered into her window, he noticed lamps were shining brightly in the living room. He knocked once more, thinking that maybe you were simply getting a shower and hadn’t heard the knock the first time.

He sent you a text asking for you to answer her door. But as the minutes went by, he received no response. He sighed and looked around to make sure nobody was in sight as he transformed his hand into his natural being and slipped a claw into the lock and turned it, hearing the door unlock itself.

He felt uneasiness as the door swung open gently and he stepped inside.

He smelled something burning inside and he marched quickly into the house. He marched into the kitchen, but nothing was cooking on the stove, nor the oven. He took a deep sniff of the air and noticed the smell was coming from up the stairs. Taking two at a time once he walked back through the hallway again, the scent of something burning became stronger.

_What the hell are you doing?_


	5. Chapter 5

The scent of something burning became thicker as Bucky walked down the hallway. He had to admit, though. It smelled as though he were walking through the gateways of hell. It smelled like home to him. It smelled like burning flesh- burning flesh! Are you fucking kidding me? His pace quickened tremendously until the scent was burning his nostrils.

He violently threw open the door to witness you standing in front of a large furnace. How the fuck did she manage to keep a furnace up here?

“James!” She squealed in terror, trying her damndest to hide the severed human body parts lying in front of the furnace’s open door. “How did you- what are you doing here?”

“So,” he spoke slowly, straightening his stance, knowing this is what he was sent onto earth for. He was sent to collect your soul. He was sent to be the reason behind your death. “So, this is what you’ve been hiding from me? Harvesting human remains, huh?”

“James, please,” she spoke frantically. “Please, you can’t tell anyone of this.”

“How long has this been going on, Y/N?” He demanded. “Does anyone else know of this?”

You dropped the disembodied hand you had been holding before sighing and biting the corner of her mouth. “I couldn’t help it.”  
“All those murders that have been going on,” he spoke softly, “it was all you?”

At least you had the audacity to look ashamed.  “Don’t call the police on me, James, please?”

“Oh,” he chuckled darkly, finally understanding her and her ways. All those little smirks and mysterious disappearances. They were all because of the girl standing in front of him. All those souls that he could have collected, they were because of you, a person  whom he had grown quite fondly of in such a short amount of time. Maybe it was all part of the plan. Maybe the motions were set from the minute Bucky set foot on earth.

He didn’t like it, not one bit. Not since he’d grown so utterly close to you, so fond of you. He cared deeply for you and humanity despite being of demonic empowerment. He’d never take a life unless ordered to do so.  So why was he hesitating so much with this job?

“James?” Your voice snapped him away from his thoughts. But it wasn’t enough to stop him from showcasing his true form in order to do the job needed. He could feel his breath became rash. He could feel his claws ripping from it’s human cage. He heard your shout in terror and fear. But you were frozen to the spot where you stood. You known better than to run away, especially now more than ever. If he haadn’t captured you, the police surely would.

“You’re time has come, Y/N,” Bucky’s deep, natural voice spoke through now that he was no longer in the confines of his human vessel.

“No,” you shook your head in hysteria, taking in his full form, not understanding what was happening in front of her.

He took a step closer to you, now that he were no longer in his human form, he could hear his higher power speaking to him, telling him to kill her, collect her soul, bring her to the gates of Hell. “It has been my pleasure to meet you, Y/N.” Bucky spoke softly, through his voice echoed around the room. He sniffed at the air, pleased at the scent of burning flesh surrounding him. His mouth watered at the thought of those poor souls in hell. He couldn’t wait to get his paws on them, to taste their very fear and heartache and ash covered flesh.

Before you had uttered another word, he lunged at her, his right hand clawing violently at her chest, spewing blood and rib bones throughout the room. He’d gotten impatient along the way to retrieve her soul, so he ripped her body in half, bringing silence to the room. He smirked greedily as her ghostly form appeared, looking as lost and sad as ever.

“Would you be so kind as to accompany me home, Y/N?”

“Yes.” Her voice echoed, filling Bucky with pride as echoes of his master’s voice whispered in his ear.


End file.
